“NICE WOMEN DON’T WANT THE VOTE” A Travelling Exhibition Opportunity “Nice Women Don’t Want the Vote” was a phrase attributed to Manitoba’s Premier Sir Rodmond Roblin during a heated exchange with suffragist Nellie McClung. Now it’s the title of an exhibit commemorating the hundredth anniversary of the right to vote for women in Manitoba in 1916. On January 28, 1916, the Manitoba Legislature amended the Manitoba Election Act and for the first time in the province’s history, (most) women could vote. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Manitoba becoming the first province to extend the vote to women, The Manitoba Museum is inviting all Canadians to participate in this history, with the creation of this travelling exhibit as well as a teacher’s guide. “Social and political movements don’t leave many objects behind,” says Roland Sawatzky, Curator of History at The Manitoba Museum. “Things like banners, flags, and pamphlets are often lost or thrown away after a movement succeeds (or fades).” This porcelain match holder (1910-1914) made an anti-suffrage statement, equating suffragists with “silly geese.” Donated by Mae Irene Whyte, a Winnipeg suffragist Kim Semonick in memory of Grandmother Sarah Roper. Sawatzky put out a call into the community looking “Nice Women Don’t Want the Vote” outlines the for artefacts in January 2015. He heard from many historical context of the Suffragist movement and people, willing to donate or lend their ancestor’s commemorates the 100th anniversary of women in precious heirlooms. One of the most interesting is Manitoba winning the right to vote. It provides an the side of a house where a rural woman had painted opportunity for Canadians to deepen their knowledge “Vote for Women” and the story goes that her husband of voting and women’s rights. had scrawled “NO” in front of it. Opening at The Manitoba Museum on November 5, “History is never neat and tidy, and the history of the 2015, “Nice Women Don’t Want the Vote” will run until franchise (the right to vote) in Canada is about as April 10, 2016. A portable version of the exhibit will messy as it comes,” says Sawatzky. “While 1916 was travel around Manitoba and Canada. a big year for voting rights, Manitoba being the first province in the country to extend the right to vote to women, we do need to remember that this was only for some women. In Manitoba, First Nations people living on reserves and receiving an annuity from the Crown were barred from voting until the mid-20th century.” E. CORA HIND (1861-1942) Après son arrivée à Winnipeg en After moving to Winnipeg from provenance de l’Ontario en 1882, Ontario in 1882, E. Cora Hind E. Cora Hind compte exercer le métier planned to become an agricultural de journalisme agricole. Elle essuie journalist. After a few early quelques refus avant que le quotidien rejections, she published her Manitoba Free Press publie un premier first article in the Manitoba Free article en 1893. Avec le temps, Press in 1893. Over time she was ses enquêtes sur les récoltes et la greatly respected for her accurate précision de ses prévisions, devenues crop surveys and estimates, la norme internationale pour évaluer which became the international la production céréalière canadienne, standard for judging Canadian lui attirent le respect. Hind établit Le grain production. Hind founded Manitoba Equal Franchise Association the Manitoba Equal Franchise (association pour le suffrage universel) Association in 1894, and helped en 1894, et aide à organiser la Political establish the Political Equality Equality League (pour l’égalité League in 1912. She was involved dans l’arène politique) en 1912. in both Women’s Parliaments held Elle participe aux deux parlements in 1893 and 1914. Hind used her féminins (1893 et 1914) et exploite journalistic skills to highlight issues ses talents journalistiques pour important to rural women and the souligner les questions intéressant plight of working-class women les agricultrices et pour déplorer la in Winnipeg. situation des femmes de la classe ouvrière à Winnipeg. photo: Courtesy University of Waterloo Library, E. Cora Hind Collection photo: Bibliothèque de l’Université de Waterloo, collection E. Cora Hind Felt Pennant, c. 1913-15 Detail of a panel from the exhibit, one of 16 (height: 6’) Votes for Women gathering at Minitonas, Manitoba Content: English and French; Teacher’s Guide Costs: $600 per month rental fee plus shipping and taxes; minimum two month booking Size: 300 sq. ft.; 4 cases Available: Begins touring 2016 Touring schedule to date: • New Iceland Heritage Museum • Apr – June 2016 • Sipiweske Museum, Wawanesa • June – Sept 2016 • Canadian Museum of History • Oct 2016 – Mar 2017 • Mennonite Heritage Village • July – Aug 2017 For more information please contact Hanna Peters, Exhibits Manager Mae Irene Whyte and her 204-988-0655 or e-mail brother George, 1912 [email protected] Image Credits: Girl smiling with bathing suit: Courtesy Archives of Manitoba, Criddle Collection 101 Large group in field: Votes for Women gathering at Minitonas, MB. Loan from the descendants of Gertrude Twilley/Richardson and Fanny Twilley/Richardson Two women with fur coats: Courtesy Archives of Manitoba, Criddle Collection 148 Woman with 2 children: Courtesy Archives of Manitoba, Ransom Collection 341 Honorary Patron: Her Honour the Honourable Janice C. Filmon, CM, OM Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba Marion Kaffka 190 Rupert Avenue at Main Street • Infoline: (204) 943-3139 www.manitobamuseum.ca @ManitobaMuseum.